Obituary of Deborah Delancey

Deborah “Debbie” Delancey passed away with her loving family by her side on November 23, 2014 in Calhan Colorado. Debbie Delancey, how do I put the life of this special woman into a collection of words? Her parents were blessed with the feisty bundle of joy that was Deborah Ann Delancey on February 11, 1955 in Cleveland, Ohio. When asked to describe her, the first word that comes to mind is heroine: a woman admired or idealized for her courage, outstanding achievements, or noble qualities. She was strong, she had a strong heart, strong nerves and when she had an opinion of something it too was strong. If she was able to help you she would and I think most of her customers could attest to that- her motto was to not pay more than we had too to anyone or for anything; most notably the tax fairy. My mom was a great friend; I was lucky enough to not only have her as my mother but also as my best friend- she truly fit the description of “a true friend is someone who knows all about you, but likes you anyway”. Imagine that statement, amplified and there would be a picture of Debbie. As life has it, friends come and friends go but we always hope that we can leave a mark of goodness on those we encounter no matter how long or how brief; there is no doubt that Debbie had this ability. Debbie’s grandchildren were her breath of fresh air, whether she had 1 with her or all 8- each one held her attention. Debbie had a special way of having serious and in-depth conversations with them that as parents we could never understand; it was that “Grandma talk”. She could sit down with an unruly grandchild and in no time they would be laughing and all would be well. It’s that special bond that only a Grandma and a grandchild can understand. Aside from her grandchildren, Debbie’s greatest pride was her business. Debbie’s Bookkeeping & Tax Service has been in Calhan for over 20 years- her customers were considered her extended family and often she would speak to them as such to make a point. I’ve heard her at times and I’d say “geesh, mom that was rough”, she’d look at me and say “it’s because I care and we want to do it the right way, we don’t want to raise any red flags”. Travel was also a great joy. It seemed that a day didn’t go by that Debbie was not planning or looking forward to her next trip, be it a weekend in the mountains to see the trees or a week in Mexico… with that we will say that this is not goodbye, instead we are going to ask “Mom, where do we want to go to next?”.. Debbie was preceded in death by her mother Leda Vitko and her father Kenneth Roe. Debbie was survived by her three children; David (Erin) Kent of Falcon, Colorado, Robin (Tramayne) Johnson of Calhan, Colorado, Tammy (Dwayne) Lippincott of Matheson, Colorado and eight grandchildren. She is also survived by three siblings; Kenneth Roe, Lillian Akins and Shirley Veilleux as well as numerous nieces and nephews.